This invention relates to a method for disposing of medical wastes, and particularly to a method which can reliably and safely dispose of medical wastes without it being necessary for humans to contact the wastes. This invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out this method.
Each day, hospitals, medical clinics, pharmaceutical companies, facilities where medical examinations are performed, and the like (herebelow refferred to collectively as "hospitals" or "a hospital") generate large quantities of medical wastes. Generally, these waste materials are first sorted into groups such as needles, syringes, bottles, and burnable materials. The sorted materials are then rendered harmless by burning, washing, or sterilization as necessary and then disposed of as normal trash. The waste treatment and diposal may be performed by the hospital itself, or it may be performed by a company which is licensed to handle medical wastes. A waste disposal company normally receives waste materials from a hospital in special containers and transports the containers to its place of business. There, the company will remove the medical wastes from the containers, process the wastes in a suitable manner, and then return the containers to the hospital.
During the sorting stage of the above-described conventional processing method for medical wastes, there is a danger of human operators coming into contact with the waste meterials, which creates the possibility of the operators' contacting hepatitis B, AIDS, or other diseases by secondary infection. Waste disposal is also made troublesome by the necessity of separating matallic wastes, such as hypodermic needles, from other waste materials.
There is also the possibility of waste materials such as needles and syringes falling into the hands of drug users or other third parties. As the washing and sterilization of these materials during waste treatment is not complete, such third parties are also subject to secondary infection by dangerous diseases.
Secondary infection by medical wastes is becoming an increasingly serious problem, and there is thus a need for a safe and reliable method for disposing of medical waste materials.